Mantids hatched too soon-what should I do?

My first clutch of mantids di

My first clutch of mantids did the same thing. Putting them in your greenhouse should work fine. If they are native species(your chinese right?) then you could just let them go anywhere anyway if that was the plan. They probably hatch right now all over the place and are adept at surviving despite the apparent lack of green to hide them.
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Camera = D-480 Zoom
Favorite Insects = You guessed it, mantids.

… Mantis Keeper, 4 May, 2006 - 4:53am

The one I have been raising a

The one I have been raising are Chinese. The eggs from the wild might be Chinese or English both live here.

I put them in the greenhouse which is fair from excape proof-that means they can get out and run wild when they are ready to leave.
Does that sound okay-I had planned to let them go right my house anyway.

Oh they sure had plenty of bugs to eat last night-the green house was full of small insects coming to the light.

THanks

Jo

… Jo Ann Poe-McGavin, 4 May, 2006 - 10:24am

Not to step on the toes of those

who love their mantids, but have there been any studies on the release of these non-natives? It seems clear that the release of the non-native lady beetles has been a disaster for our native Ladies. Fighting Garlic Mustard and European Buckthorn, among others, here in the midwest makes us very nervous when we read about the release of yet more non-natives. What do we know about this case?

… john and jane balaban, 4 May, 2006 - 12:07pm

The chinese and european mant

The chinese and european mantis, which are technically introduced species, have lived here for years and have spread throughout much of the United States. They are almost considered native now as they are so commonly encountered. There are breeding populations all over, the release of their ooths won't harm anything any more than already done, they have already reached a balance with native species. Actually the european mantis can survive climates no other native mantis can, and thus it's range includes areas not inhabited by other US species.
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Camera = D-480 Zoom
Favorite Insects = You guessed it, mantids.

… Mantis Keeper, 5 May, 2006 - 4:48pm

What I know about mantids in PA

They were at one time protected by law-I'm not sure if that still holds true. But they are considered a very beneficial species.

From what I've seen they suffer much higher predation than many other insects as they are larger, birds will pick them off easily. I actually have to protect them from the birds.

They make absolutely NO dent in the other predators on my porch-such as several larger species of orb weavers. They did however keep the population of grasshoppers and caterpillars down some-Not much though. But enough to make having them around beneficial to everyonein the neighborhood-as the young spread out a bit.

Towards the fall-only 10 were left. plus 3, up and down our street.

They don't seem to populate like those Ladybugs (that bite!)

Another thought on this-the orb weavers-can hibernate-unlike the mantids and trust me-I've got plenty spiders that woke from their winter nap ^_^

and that's about all I know from observing them here.

Jo ^_^

… Jo Ann Poe-McGavin, 5 May, 2006 - 10:49pm